IBPS PO 2026 - CRP PO/MT XVI Notification Released | Apply 1-21 July 2026

About IBPS PO 2026

The Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) conducts the Common Recruitment Process for Probationary Officer/Management Trainee (CRP PO/MT) to recruit officers for 11 participating public sector banks. The 2026 edition — CRP PO/MT XVI — released its official short notification on 30 June 2026, with the detailed notification PDF following the same evening. This is expected to be one of the largest IBPS PO cycles in recent years, with 5500+ vacancies projected (last year’s CRP XV had 6,189).

Status: Notification Released. Online registration opens 1 July 2026 and closes 21 July 2026. There is no separate “direct apply” URL distinct from the IBPS homepage — the apply link is surfaced dynamically on ibps.in under “CRP PO/MT-XVI” once registration opens on 1 July. Bookmark the page below for the exact navigation path.

Confirmed Exam Dates (Official)

Stage	Date
Notification Release	June-July 2026
Online Application	July 2026 (expected)
Preliminary Exam	22 and 23 August 2026
Main Exam	4 October 2026
Interview	January-February 2027
Final Allotment	March-April 2027

Participating Banks (11 PSBs)

Bank	Headquarters
Bank of Baroda	Vadodara
Bank of India	Mumbai
Bank of Maharashtra	Pune
Canara Bank	Bangalore
Central Bank of India	Mumbai
Indian Bank	Chennai
Indian Overseas Bank	Chennai
Punjab National Bank	New Delhi
Punjab & Sind Bank	New Delhi
UCO Bank	Kolkata
Union Bank of India	Mumbai

Note: SBI and IDBI conduct their own separate PO recruitment.

Expected Vacancies: 5500+

Based on IBPS PO XV (2025), which had 6,189 vacancies, the 2026 cycle is projected at 5500+ vacancies, with the largest shares typically going to Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra, and Canara Bank. Exact category-wise and bank-wise distribution will be confirmed in the detailed notification PDF.

Eligibility (Expected — Based on Previous Year Pattern)

Age (as of 1 November 2026, tentative)

• Minimum: 20 years
• Maximum: 30 years
• Relaxation: OBC (3 yrs) | SC/ST (5 yrs) | PwD (10 yrs) | Ex-servicemen (5 yrs)

Education

• Graduation in any discipline from a recognized university
• Candidates in the final year of their degree program may apply provisionally (subject to meeting degree requirement by stipulated date)
• Computer literacy is generally expected (DOEACC/NIELIT certificate or equivalent — may be waived if computer course was part of graduation curriculum)

Application Fee (Expected)

• General / OBC / EWS: ₹850
• SC / ST / PwD: ₹175 (intimation charges only)

Exam Pattern

Preliminary Exam (Qualifying)

Subject	Questions	Marks	Duration
English Language	30	30	20 min
Quantitative Aptitude	35	35	20 min
Reasoning Ability	35	35	20 min
Total	100	100	60 min

• Negative marking applies (1/4 mark per wrong answer)
• Sectional cutoffs apply
• Prelims are qualifying — marks NOT included in final merit

Main Exam (Merit-determining)

Section	Questions	Marks	Duration
Reasoning & Computer Aptitude	45	60	60 min
English Language	35	40	40 min
Data Analysis & Interpretation	35	60	45 min
General Economy/Banking Awareness	40	40	35 min
Objective Total	155	200	3 hrs

Descriptive Paper (Part of Main Exam):

• Letter Writing + Essay: 25 marks (30 minutes)
• Conducted online via typing

Interview (100 marks)

• Conducted by Participating Banks or IBPS depending on allotment
• Final merit = Mains (80%) + Interview (20%)

Salary & Career at IBPS PO Banks

• Starting Basic Pay: ₹48,480/month
• CTC: ~₹19-22 LPA (varies by city and allowances)
• Scale of Pay: JMGS-I → MMGS-II → MMGS-III → SMGS-IV → SMGS-V

Allowances included: Dearness Allowance, House Rent, Special Allowance, transport allowance, medical aid, LTC, staff welfare

Career progression: Promotion exam available after mandatory service years. PO → Manager in 5-7 years for good performers. All-India transfers are part of service conditions.

Preparation Strategy

For Prelims (6-8 weeks prep with discipline):

• Quant: Practice arithmetic (percentage, ratio, profit-loss, speed-distance, number series) — 25 questions in 20 minutes demands speed
• Reasoning: Puzzles (seating, linear, circular), inequalities, syllogism, blood relations
• English: Reading comprehension, error detection, cloze test

For Mains (if clearing Prelims):

• Add Data Interpretation (DI) — tables, charts, mixed graphs
• Banking Awareness: RBI policies, current account deficit, Basel norms, banking history
• Computer Aptitude: Merge with reasoning preparation

Mock tests are mandatory — take full-length mocks 3-4 times per week from August 1 onwards.

How to Apply

1. Visit ibps.in when the notification is live
2. Click on “CRP PO/MT XVI” or look in “Current Openings”
3. Register with your email and mobile number
4. Fill in academic qualifications, personal details, post preference
5. Upload scanned photograph and signature as per spec
6. Pay fee online via NEFT/Card/UPI
7. Download and save the registration confirmation

The application window is open now through 21 July 2026. Apply early — IBPS servers historically slow down in the final 48 hours before deadline.